3D Maneuver Gear Training (one shot)
by JulietDiMontague
Summary: During the years of their training, Armin Arlert was never the best at 3D maneuver gear. He didn't really want to trouble anyone with his problems, more so worried about their judgement than being kind, but Annie was just the right person. He didn't fail that portion, thanks to that one tutoring session with that special girl. ArminxAnnie oneshot fluff; some accurate info. on 3DMG.


**ArminxAnnie fluff and it takes place during the years of their training.**

**Disclaimer: I own none of the characters nor Attack on Titan/Shingeki no Kyojin.**

Armin stood nervously at the foot of a branch, grasping the handles of his 3D maneuver gear with shaky hands.

"Calm down, Armin- it's an operating device, not a stress ball." A voice called out pointedly. "Flex your fingers a bit before you grip them too tight- you don't wanna trigger anything just yet."

His eyes scanned through the rather thick forest until he saw Annie standing across from him on another tree. However, their gazes didn't exactly match. The apathetic girl stared at their titan practice target in a rather small clearing- one of the many clearings that cadets used for the equipment's physical training in 'safer' fields.

"Uhm, are you sure we should be doing this?" He asked hesitantly as the wind picked up, signalling that it might rain soon. "We should just go back to the ground and work on weight training or running, right?"

Pushing a loose strand of her shiny blonde hair behind her ear, she shook her head before lifting her gaze to Armin with a more prominent frown at his suggestion.

"We are on the ground- training grounds- and you've done lots of 'ground' training already. Besides, you asked me for help, didn't you?"

Armin sighed. He _did _ask Annie to help him but he was initially thinking of a workout routine she could recommend or something along those lines. He had not expected her to drag him out to the field for _this _type of workout.

"Anyways, you need to make sure that you're using the proper technique and form- with 3D gear, you could ultimately miss if you're not focused." She explained even further. "I've seen you maneuver and you need work- plus, I haven't seen you make a single jab yet."

He nodded, flexing his fingers like he was told but gulped as he stared at the foam pad on the wooden statue's neck. Memories of the titans flooded back into his mind. He didn't even see much of the horrors other citizens saw but the knowledge of such existing monsters was enough to scare him. "By distracted and unfocused, you mean...?"

"Nervous."

"Right, I thought so."

Rolling her eyes, she aimed and fired her grapple hooks meters above Armin's head, leaping into the air while the gas and reel pulled her next to him. The hooks released just as her feet landed onto the thick branch, her body needing no extra time to adjust its balance as she grabbed onto the blonde boy's wrists from behind. He blushed as he felt her lean in past his shoulder, trying to ignore anything but her calm voice as he studied his operating device.

"Steady your hand around the handle," she instructed, her hands travelling up and settling his fingers gently around the bars so he'd stop shaking. "Okay, good- you seem comfortable with holding it. Remember, the index and middle finger go through the two ring slots just underneath the lever, the thumb and palm acts as a support, and the ring finger and pinky are used for the lever."

Armin felt himself take a deep breath, expanding his rib cage and lungs in attempts to relax, as he mentally jotted that in his head for the billionth time.

"Okay- index and middle, thumb and palm, and ring and pinky." He repeated, checking his hands to make sure they were in the right place.

_Wow... Her hands are actually really soft despite all the hardcore practices she does- they're really smooth, too_, his mind thinks as he becomes mesmerized with the sensation.

"You're relaxing- that's good. The only time you need to strain is when it comes to cutting- also, when you cut, switch your foot to the side that's reel you in and throw your arms the opposite way." She offered. "Now, aside from all that, attach the plug-in blades from inside your scabbard, just below the gas tank. You know the movements to this step, right? Armin? Armin?"

Said boy snapped out of his thoughts as he felt her lean in closer, resting her chin over his shoulder as she tried to get a better glimpse of his face.

Realizing just exactly how close she was to his ear, she started whispering in a hushed tone, "I didn't lose you just yet, did I?"

"N-no! Sorry, I was just distracted by something..."

She sighed but continued the training as she bit back a tiny smile-_ even when stuttering, he's adorable_, she thought in equal embarrassment. "I know it's a bit of rambling but the information should help a smart ass like you cope easier, right? So, like I said, attach the plug-in blade from the vents of the scabbard."

"Yes, ma'am!" He stated, crossing his arms over each other so his hands would reach the opposite side of his thighs.

The operating device clanked against the metal boxes but its clips found a pair of blades, successfully linking the two together. He grinned. _Maybe I can do this after all!_

"Wait."

Suddenly, Armin felt himself get pulled into the girl's arm even more, her fingers swiftly making his set off the release on the blades. Even through their cadet uniforms and the gear's back support, the taller blond felt her chest against his back, the warmth from her bodies reaching out to his. Redness spread from his cheeks to his neck as he found himself snug in her arms, which wasn't entirely all that bad to him. _Is this what a back hug feels like?_ Comically, steam shot out of his ears as he realized that the love interests in his books usually did this type of embrace _aside from kissing_.

"A-Annie?!" he exclaimed in surprise, both mortified and utterly cozy.

Ignoring his cry, she harshly informed, "Next time, cross your dominant arm over the other. That way, when you retract, the blades come out naturally and there's no chance of slicing yourself- it's right over left for you," pausing, she felt her forehead rest on his back as the grim shock passed her, giving her a moment to contain herself.

_God, that was close. He could have cut his arm off or-,_

_Or what?_ The other voice in her head sneered. _Don't tell me you're worried about this stupid kid- you don't even like him._

Noticing how silent she was, he started to panic. _Is it really that dangerous? Was she afraid I might have killed her or something?! She probably isn't worried about me. Or is she resting because she's tired? Should I have let her gone to sleep instead of ruining her day off?! _His more than intelligent brain started to spin with confusion, their proximity and her erratic behavior not helping to clear his overwrought mind.

"Sorry…" She muttered lowly, finally lifting her head off of him as she regained focus on the real situation at hand. "If I'm distracting you, then let me know so I can back off and let you work, okay?"

"S-sure."

"You're getting nervous again, Armin, and I can feel your muscles tense- am I doing something wrong?"

_Yes!_ "Not exactly..."

Glaring at the boy, Annie dropped her hands from him and stepped to the side, folding her arms over her stomach impatiently. She didn't have a problem with Armin- he was much more preferable than imbeciles like Jean, in her honest opinion. He was so emotive and upbeat compared to everyone else like a refreshing breath of clean air. The others were just _cynical leeches_. What she did have a problem with was when people weren't totally honest with her. The hesitation of people was also a migraine for someone like her.

"You've gotta be a little more straight forward otherwise I won't be able to help you this way." Looking back to her, he noticed the austere look she had on her face, worry lines appearing on her forehead as she dropped her arms to her sides.

Closing her eyes, she muttered, "And I'm not being totally selfish here, either- you always see yourself as a burden, right?"

Recounting all the times Eren and Mikasa had to save him from bullies, he nodded solemnly. "Yes, and...?"

"Well, if you want to been seen as an equal, learn to manage on your own. That's how this cold world works, Armin," her icy blue eyes opened and stared into his sky blue ones, a challenge prompted in her tone. "I'm not telling you that you are a burden but if you don't like what you see about that, change it or your viewpoint. Tell me, what does an intellectual like you choose in this time?"

Matching her gaze, his jaw dropped at her speech. And then it clenched and he flexed his fingers, just before gripping onto the handles tightly. _She's right- the only person who can make that change is me_, he thinks in frustration towards himself._ And if I want to stop being so burdensome towards my friends, then it's me who needs to take action!_

Right over left, he restocked his blades onto the operating device, drawing them out so that they basked in the light of the afternoon sun, and plunged off the branch with gravity pushing down at him. Annie's gaze widen, stunned by his reckless action, but he was already dropping- fast. His frantic eyes zoomed back to his target and its surroundings, finding a sturdy tree just behind the back across him. The claws shot towards it and grabbed viciously, steel wires loudly whirring as they revolved and pulled him up.

"Focus on your core; keep the arms and legs slack!" Annie barked and although her looks betrayed her, she was on the edge of anticipation.

His weight awkwardly shifted as the wires tugged him closer and even faster to the titan. However, his balance was managed as his knees bent, lower legs behind him like the arms over his head, as he soared with the pressure of the gas pushing him up. I can do this! His mind urges, racing as fast as his heartbeat. Then the titan's neck is arm's length away.

_'The only time you need to strain is when it comes to cutting,'_

Blood rushing through his veins and heart drumming in his ears, he switched all his weight to his right foot with a yell. His arms swung to the left side just before the blades hit the foamy nape, severing the section deeply and tearing a chunk out soon after. Armin's jaw went slack and with wide, starry eyes, he realized what he just did.

"I... I did it!" He cheered triumphantly, staring at the newly made slot on the foam box with epic glee. "I pierced its neck!"

_I finally did it! If I keep it up, I might not fail this portion of the class. Armin Arlert is becoming a true soldier, every-!_

"Look out!" Annie shouted, springing into action as she swung down and caught Armin just before he was about to smack into the tree. "Press the release!"

Frantically, the flustered boy fumbled with the triggers, detaching his claws and shutting down the fan as she pulled him to the forest floor. With his nose buried near her neck and hair, he could smell the fresh scent of soap on her even if they spent the entire afternoon working out in humid weather. _It's kinda nice, actually..._ Carefully not to cut off any of her hair, he held on until she lowered to set him down, her feet already planted on the soil. Clumsily, Armin dropped to the grass with a solid thunk, pain shooting up from his bottom to his legs. His tutor laughed jubilantly as she retracted her steel wires and claws.

"Viewpoint and flaw; change both of them." Annie smiled, offering her hand to him. It wasn't out of impatience or worry; for the first time in such a very long time, he found himself gaining respect. "So that's how a genius like you thinks."

As he was met by her sincere grin, he blushed at the compliment.

Ignoring the outstretched hand, he pushed himself off the ground and looked down at her with a bright smile. "Thanks, but I couldn't have done it without you- you're really fantastic, you know? I'm really glad that you're here with me."

Her eyes widen at his kind words, cute smile, and happy expression- all of which made her look away to raise her arm over her pink cheeks.

"Geez, Armin, it was all you..." she muttered, suddenly feeling her nerves wrack her cool. "Besides, it's only you who thinks that."

As he dismantled his blades back into the scabbards, he chuckled at how shy she was being. So, she has this type of side, too. "Let's just call it a team effort, okay? I mean, even if it's just me saying it, I'm being honest to myself, at least. You really are radiant and lusty, beautiful and-,"

At this point, they stared at each other with shocked eyes, their faces completely red with embarrassment. _Did I actually just say that out loud?_ Armin thought in confusion. If he was being honest with himself, he genuinely enjoyed Annie's company and persona but he didn't expect to be so straightforward with his thoughts. But he smiled as he finally realized the obvious he ignored: he was a better person around her.

She was shocked to call him beautiful since it was the first time anyone actually called her that. Something about that made her stomach churn and head rush- not out of nausea but more like butterflies. Pretty, pink butterflies that made her feel like a normal, teenage girl for one shining instance. She smiled at the feeling._ It's nice to have him around_.

From then on, whenever he was around, she was that ordinary girl who was falling for an extraordinary boy and he was doing the same- whether they realized it, or not

**Hello, everyone! So, yes, this is a reupload of the original chapter and I'm so sorry for all of those who came across that confused, hot mess of a story. My most sincerest apologies to these kind authors, especially:**

**Alexis Mede, Bara-san, poodlecake85, Lexie and the anime, and a huge special thanks to tentsubasa who is the reason I have it in said format as of now!**

**I hope you all sincerely enjoyed this story- my first fanfiction ever on this site! Please review and favorite if you liked it, by the way- let me know if I've any mistakes or your personal opinions about how much you ship this lovely couple~**

**Until next time, adieu, my little Recon soldiers!**

**Notes about this fanfic (if you're interested in them):**

**Originally, I wrote this for an OC of some sort with a really distinct and energetic personality but after searching on devianart and failing to find the perfect SNK OC, I realized how much I love seeing these two cuties together. So, I kept the same concept and changed some of the dialogue because let's be honest: Annie's so cool that she doesn't even sweat in the summer.**

**As for the ending, it's not a huge spoiler, okay? Everyone has their personal history and Annie's shows a lot in her behavior. I did add some subtle references for those who are already deep into the series (don't know if you caught them or not).**


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